William J. Beck, 69, of Sanford passed away at his home surrounded by his family on Saturday Oct. 23, 1999, after a short battle with cancer. William was born on March 13, 1930, in Midland, the son of Katherine Furst Beck-Howe and the late Nickolas Beck. He served in the Korean War and lived and worked in Midland County. He retired from the Operating Engineers Local No. 324. He enjoyed the outdoors and was an avid hunter and fisherman.

Surviving in addition to his mother, Katherine Howe are his four children, Michael N. Beck and his children, Melissa and Adam; Jeffery W. Beck and his wife, Michele and their children, Tasha, Jeffery, Jacob and Justin, Debra S. Fischer and her children, Shane and Taryan, Kathy J. Dobschensky and her daughter, Nicole; and their mother, Kay J. Beck, his brothers and sisters, Nick and Sue Beck, Betty Pomranky, Jim Beck, Barbara and Dermis Brodrick, Nancy and Art Stanton, Sally LaForest and Chuck and Nancy Howe., 18 nieces and nephews; 22 great-nieces and nephews; his special friend Ed Wright, and all the rest of his kids that thought of him as a father figure. Mr. Beck was predeceased by his father Nickolas M. Beck, his stepfather, Ralph Howe, and one brother, Ralph Howe.

Funeral services will be held today, Oct. 26, 1999, 11 a.m. at the Ware-Smith-Woolever Funeral Chapel, 1200 W. Wheeler St. Pastor David Willett of Trinity Wesleyan Church will officiate, with burial in Bentley Township Cemetery. Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider the Cancer Research Center.

This transcription is copyright 2009 by the transcriber. Private use is permitted,
but republication may be only with written permission of the transcriber.Posted by Bob Frei with the assistance of Jeff Naugle